Senators introduce resolution slamming effort to invalidate Affordable Care Act, take away health care coverage from millions of Americans

Congressional Documents & Publications

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the Trump administration moves full-steam ahead to dismantle the health care law that provides coverage for millions of Americans, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and her colleagues introduced a resolution today, led by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), putting in the official Senate record their condemnation of that "reckless" effort and demanding the Department of Justice (DOJ) defend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in court and halt its efforts to repeal health care protections for millions -- including 133 million Americans with pre-existing conditions -- in the middle of a public health emergency.

"The Trump administration wants to take your health care away and eliminate guaranteed protections for millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions - during an ongoing health crisis and pandemic that continues to spread," said Senator Baldwin. "Now more than ever, Americans need access to quality, affordable health care. This lack of leadership will make things worse, not better, for Wisconsinites in need of quality, affordable health care coverage."

Last week, the DOJ and a group of Republican Attorneys General submitted a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court urging it to invalidate the ACA and pull the rug out from underneath the millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions who depend on the law for health care coverage. If the Supreme Court agrees and overturns the ACA, millions of Americans could lose coverage, including those enrolled through Medicaid expansion and those under the age of 26 who have stayed on their parents' health coverage.

Additionally, Americans who have pre-existing conditions could once again face annual or lifetime caps, medical underwriting for their insurance coverage, or denials for the care they need. Across the board, states would lose billions of dollars in federal funds, causing significant job losses and jeopardizing the viability of Wisconsin's rural hospitals. All of this in the midst of a global health crisis that has already strapped providers across Wisconsin.

The resolution urges DOJ to reverse its position, and instead protect the millions of people who rely on the ACA for health care coverage amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The resolution is also backed by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Doug Jones (D-AL), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tom Carper (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Gary Peters (D-MI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Tom Udall (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).